


The Truth of the Matter

by Opalgirl



Category: Tortall - Pierce
Genre: Community: fanfic100, F/M, Family, One Shot, word of god
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-03-06
Updated: 2010-03-06
Packaged: 2017-10-07 18:35:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 469
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/68003
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Opalgirl/pseuds/Opalgirl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Coram Symthesson has had quite enough of Ordeals and his wife knowing far too much.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Truth of the Matter

**Author's Note:**

> As per the author, Coram and Rispah had ten kids: six boys and four girls. Their names are her creation (despite the children never appearing in canon), not mine.

“Man shouldn’t have to go through this more than once,” Coram grumbled to no one, watching the candle burn in the window. “By the Black God, once was _enough_.”

Rispah settled a blanket over Daran and Liam, who were asleep on the sofa across from him - the twins had set up such a fuss when she’d tried to send them to bed that she’d finally given up - and walked back across the room, gently stirring Alinna with her foot.

“Mmm?” Their oldest daughter picked up her head and looked up at her mother from where she sprawled on the floor. “What, Ma?” she asked, rolling over onto her back.

“Go on to bed, love,” Rispah encouraged. “We won’t let you sleep through it all.” Alinna shook her head vigorously and Rispah frowned. “Oh, the lot of you,” she complained. “I’m thinkin’ you do this on purpose. And I’m not even going to speak to you, my buck,” she continued, ruffling Mylec’s hair as she passed him, “because you never did listen to begin with.”

Mylec grinned at his mother and turned around in the windowseat to face his sister. “What’re you reading, ‘linna?”

Alinna put down on her book. “Emry of Haryse,” she replied, and then turned to Coram. “Did you ever meet him, Da?”

“Not me, lassie. I was just a plain ol’ footsoldier in the ranks, then, and General Haryse was in retirement – well, as close as he ever got – by my time. I did serve under the Old King, once upon a time.”

“And saved the Duke of Naxen’s life,” added Mylec, a glint of pride in his eye. “Cut across a sword meant for him….”

“Don’t you make that out to be all glory, my lad,” Coram warned, thinking of his eldest son, posted on the Gallan border this very night. “His Grace is a fine man, an’ I didn’t do it to be a hero. That battle’d be over forty years gone – where’d you ever hear such a thing?”

Mylec shook his head and replied, “Grandda Myles.”

_Of course. _Coram reached over and poured himself a drink. “I’m glad you’ve no want for a shield, lad – and lass,” he added, as Alinna glanced up at him. “I needn’t sit through this again.”

Rispah touched his arm, as she sat down beside him. “Ah, hush, you. You won’t be saying that tomorrow, milord. You’ll be peacock-proud when he gets that shield.”

Coram shook his head; Rispah knew him too well. A man could have no secrets when his wife had grown up in a thieves’ den, and managed to survive.

“Where’d you ever learn so much, woman?” She only smirked at him. “Never you mind - that’s my secret.” He laughed, then, and kissed his wife, ignoring the groans of the children. Someday, they _would_ understand.


End file.
